Liverpool are certainly not averse to spending on improving their squad.
Records seem to tumble when it comes to the Anfield outfit and transfers. Liverpool is now home to the worlds most expensive defender (Virgil Van Dijk – £75m) and the world’s most expensive goalkeeper (Allison – £66m).
The club have been on a spending spree this summer. Jurgen Klopp will be keen to seize his opportunity to establish Liverpool as one of the top teams in Europe once again. His tactics and signings were vindicated last season by reaching a Champions League final, which the club lost to Spanish giants Real Madrid.
Klopp has assembled quite a squad at Anfield. They certainly have one of the best forward lines in the Premier League, and played some of the most entertaining football in the division last season. Despite the swoop for Dutchman Virgil Van Dijk, defensively is the only area the squad looks like it could be improved in. All too often Liverpool relied on out-scoring teams rather than being defensively sound, which led to some incredible score lines. They beat Roma in the semi-finals of the Champions League 7-6 on aggregate.
With that in mind, here are three additions the club could make at the back to sure them up…
Eliaquim Mángala has not had the best time at Manchester City.
Liverpool could give the Frenchman an option to get his career back on track. Mangala was once one of the most highly rated defenders in Europe, and signed in Manchester for £31.8m from Portuguese side Porto back in 2014.
The imposing 6ft 2 defender would likely cost free-spending Liverpool less than that now. He is now valued by Transfermarkt at just £13.5m. He has had somewhat of a fall from grace, but would still be great cover for the Anfield outfit.
Liverpool seem to be making a habit of signing players from AS Roma.
The imposing Greek is one of the best defenders in Serie A. The 6ft 3 centre back is perfectly comfortable with the ball, will compete for everything and has great game intelligence.
Not a player who would come cheap, but one which would instantly improve the quality at Anfield. At 27, Kostas Manolas is absolutely in his prime. Jurgen Klopp should do everything to try and get the defender to come to Anfield.
Jamaal Lascelles was something of a star for Newcastle United last season. Rafa Benitez’s Magpies were built on a solid defence and at the heart of it was English centre-back Jamaal Lascelles.
He would add great depth at the back for Liverpool, necessary with the amount of games they will be playing next season. Klopp will be wanting Liverpool to compete for every trophy, so Lascelles would be a superb back-up option.
He is physical, composed and rarely drawn into a last ditch tackle. His mindset would suit Klopp’s style of football well.
